Summary
- Star Trek (2009) relaunched the franchise with a diverse cast and explored an alternate timeline split from the main timeline.
- Chris Pine played James T. Kirk, who goes from cadet to captain of the USS Enterprise and saves Earth from destruction.
- The cast also includes Zachary Quinto as Spock, Leonard Nimoy as Spock Prime, Karl Urban as Dr. McCoy, and Zoe Saldana as Uhura.
Star Trek (2009) helped relaunch the Star Trek franchise in the modern era and re-imagined the adventures of Captain James T. Kirk and the crew of the USS Enterprise with a diverse cast of new faces. Directed by J.J. Abrams, Star Trek (2009) was the first franchise project produced after the cancelation of Star Trek: Enterprise in 2005, and the 11th Star Trek movie overall. Star Trek (2009) was followed by two sequels, 2013's Star Trek Into Darkness and 2016's Star Trek Beyond, with a third sequel still in the works despite experiencing multiple delays and setbacks.
Star Trek (2009) explored an alternate history for Captain Kirk, Spock, and the rest of the Starship Enterprise's crew from Star Trek: The Original Series, set in an alternate reality, known as the Kelvin timeline, split off from 's main timeline. The split, which took place on the day of James T. Kirk's birth in 2233, was initiated by the film's Romulan villain Nero (Eric Bana) when he accidentally crossed from one reality to another, causing the destruction of the USS Kelvin and the death of Kirk's father. The movie then explored Kirk's entry into Starfleet Academy and his first mission with the Enterprise crew as a cadet during Nero's attack on Vulcan. Here is the full cast and character guide for Star Trek (2009).
Star Trek 2009 Main Cast Actor |
Character |
Chris Pine |
James T. Kirk |
Zachary Quinto |
Spock |
Karl Urban |
Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy |
Zoe Saldana |
Nyota Uhura |
Simon Pegg |
Scotty |
John Cho |
Hikaru Sulu |
Anton Yelchin |
Pavel Chekov |
Leonard Nimoy |
Spock Prime |
Eric Bana |
Nero |
Bruce Greenwood |
Captain Christopher Pike |
Winona Ryder |
Amanda Grayson |
Star Trek 2009 Ending & Movies Future Explained
J.J. Abrams' Star Trek 2009 saw the young Kirk and Spock forces to save Earth. A deep dive into how Star Trek 2009 ended and what it all means.
16 Chris Pine As James T. Kirk
Kirk goes from Starfleet Academy Cadet to Captain of the Enterprise
Chris Pine plays James T. Kirk, a younger and even brasher version of the role originated by William Shatner in Star Trek: The Original Series. Enlisting in Starfleet to honor his late father, Lt. George Kirk (Chris Hemsworth), Pine's James heroically rises from nearly expelled Starfleet Cadet to Captain of the Enterprise and saves Earth from destruction at the hands of Nero. Before Star Trek (2009), Chris Pine starred in The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement and has since become most well known for his roles in Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, Wonder Woman, Outlaw King, and Don't Worry Darling.
15 Zachary Quinto As Spock
Half-Vulcan First Officer and Science Officer of the USS Enterprise
The John Lennon to Kirk's Paul McCartney, Zachary Quinto portrays Spock, Kirk's half-human, half-Vulcan First Officer who begins the film as a Commander while Kirk is still a cadet. Star Trek (2009) mostly explores Spock's struggle with his dual identity, framed around his initially antagonistic relationship with Kirk and the loss of his home planet of Vulcan after Nero's attack. Besides Star Trek, Zachary Quinto is best known for his roles in Heroes and American Horror Story.
14 Leonard Nimoy As Spock Prime
The original Spock from Star Trek's Prime timeline
Leonard Nimoy returned in Star Trek (2009) to portray Ambassador Spock AKA Spock Prime. In the film, it is revealed that Nimoy's Spock jumped universes through the same time portal as Nero after a failed attempt to save Romulus from a supernova. Nero held Spock responsible for Romulus's destruction, leading him to take revenge by destroying Vulcan. While playing Spock in the Star Trek franchise was Nimoy's most well-known role, the legendary actor and director had numerous other credits including Mission: Impossible and Fringe, as well as directing Star Trek IV: The Voyage Home and Three Men and a Baby before ing away in 2015 at the age of 83.
13 Karl Urban As Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy
Chief Medical Officer of the USS Enterprise
Completing the iconic Star Trek: The Original Series trio, Karl Urban plays Dr. Leonard "Bones" McCoy in Star Trek (2009). Urban's McCoy evoked the spirit of DeForest Kelley's portrayal while still allowing him to put his own spin on the character. In Star Trek (2009), McCoy meets and becomes friends with James T. Kirk at Starfleet Academy, and reluctantly smuggles Kirk onboard the Enterprise so that he can participate in the fight against Nero. Urban is best known for his roles in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, Dredd, Thor: Ragnarok, and The Boys.
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Chris Pine stars as Captain James T. Kirk in J.J. Abrams' Kelvin Timeline Star Trek reboot movies, including Into Darkness and Star Trek: Beyond.
12 Zoe Saldana As Nyota Uhura
USS Enterprise's Communications Officer
Zoe Saldana plays Nyota Uhura, the Starship Enterprise's communications officer who starts the film out as a cadet alongside Kirk and McCoy. Saldana's version of the character in Star Trek (2009) was the first time that Uhura's first name, Nyota, was established on screen, having never been stated during Nichelle Nichols' run in TOS. Uhura and Spock are also in a romantic relationship in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek. Besides Star Trek, Saldana is best known for her starring roles in some of the biggest franchises in modern film, including the Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy, Avengers: Infinity War and Endgame, and James Cameron's Avatar movies.
11 Simon Pegg as Montgomery "Scotty" Scott
USS Enterprise's Chief Engineer
Originated by the late James Doohan, the role of Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott is played by Simon Pegg in Star Trek (2009). Kirk and Spock Prime are aided by Scotty in their attempt to return Kirk to the Enterprise, after finding the engineer posted at a remote Starfleet outpost on Delta Vega. Scotty quickly becomes the top engineer on the Enterprise. Pegg's most well-known roles outside of Star Trek are on the British sitcom Spaced and the Three Flavours Cornetto movie trilogy.
Simon Pegg, along with Dave Jung, co-wrote Star Trek Beyond in 2016.
10 John Cho As Hikaru Sulu
Helmsman of the USS Enterprise
John Cho plays Hikaru Sulu, taking over the role originated by George Takei in Star Trek: The Original Series. While the character took on more of a ing role in the main storylines in Star Trek (2009), Cho's portrayal once again evoked the spirit of Takei and included a few TOS Easter eggs such as Sulu's skill with a sword. Cho has also starred in Ugly Betty and the Harold & Kumar film franchise.
9 Anton Yelchin As Pavel Chekov
USS Enterprise's navigator
Anton Yelchin's Pavel Chekov and his Russian accent added humor to Star Trek (2009). The youngest Enterprise crew member, Chekov also acted in a mostly ing role to the film's main storyline, while still providing the chance for some callbacks to Walter Koenig's Chekov in Star Trek: The Original Series. Yelchin is also known for Green Room, Hearts in Atlantis, and Huff before his untimely death in 2016 at the age of 27.
Star Trek: Picard season 3 honored Anton Yelchin and Walter Koenig's Chekov with the voice cameo of Koenig as Pavel's descendant, Federation President Anton Chekov.
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Chris Pine stars as the iconic Captain James T. Kirk in J.J. Abrams' Star Trek movie trilogy set in the alternate Kelvin Timeline.
8 Eric Bana As Nero
Star Trek 2009's time-traveling Romulan villain
Eric Bana portrays Star Trek (2009)'s villain Nero, a 24th-century Romulan bent on revenge for the destruction of his home planet. Nero is one of only a handful of original characters created for the movie, and like Spock Prime, is from Star Trek's Prime Universe timeline rather than the film's alternate universe. Bana's most well-known roles were mainly in Australian cinema, but the actor gained wider recognition when he starred in Hulk (2003).
7 Clifton Collins Jr. As Ayel
Nero's Romulan first officer
Clifton Collins Jr. plays Ayel, Nero's first officer who does much of the talking for his captain early on. Ayel also has a dramatic death scene and some good dialogue with Kirk toward the end of Star Trek (2009) when Kirk and Spock infiltrate Nero's ship during their plan to stop the Romulans. Collins Jr.'s other credits include The Last Castle, Capote, Pacific Rim, and Thief.
